Letter or order box.



No. 646,0!6. Patented Man 27, I900.

P.- A. BRADFORD.

LETTER 0R ORDER BOX.

(Application filed Sept. 5, 1899.)

(No Model.)

NITED STATES ATENT LETTER OF? ORDER BOX.

SPECIFICATION formingpart'o f Letters Patent No. 646,016, dated Mareh27, 1900. Application filed September 5,1895% Serial No. 729,543. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, PARK A. BRADFORD, a citizen of the United. States,residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLetter or Order Boxes; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to order-boxes or message-cabinets, andparticularly to a device adapted to receive and retain an autographicorder or message.

The invention has for an object to provide an improved construction ofpressure-shoe to cooperate with the feed-roll for moving the strip ofpaper over the tablet and into the cabinet.

A further object of theinvention is to construct an improved form ofcabinet or desk to support, protect, and return the autographic stripand to simplify the construction of all the parts, thus economizing thecost of their construction and preventing breakage or disarrangement ofthe parts.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain, the sameconsists in the novel construction, arrangement and adaptation of parts,all as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in theaccompanying drawings, and then specifically defined in the appendedclaims.

My invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which,with the letters of reference marked thereon, form part of thisapplication, like letters of reference indicating the same partsthroughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a verticallongitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on theline 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of the feed-roll andpressure-shoe, and Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of said shoe.

In the drawings the letter A designates a cabinet or desk of any desiredconfiguration, which may be provided with an upper compartment A toreceive the autographic strip B, and'a lower compartment A for thereceptionjof mail. This cabinet is supported in any suitable mannerforinstance, by hinges A applied to a back board A. The cabinet may thus beswung open to obtain access to its contents and can be locked whenclosed by any suitable device. The inclined bottoms A permit the loosearticles thereon to slide into the hand of a person when the cabinet isopened, and the back board A maybe secured to any support. 4

The autographic strip 13 is carried upon a roll B, pivoted in the wallsof the compartment A, and passes thence through an aperture B in the topor tablet B over said tablet and downward through an aperture 13 inwhich a friction-roller B is journaled. The strip then passes between afeed-roll O, journaled in the walls of the cabinet, and a pressure-shoeD of peculiar construction. The feed-roll may, if found desirable, beprovided with an elastic face 0 of rubber;

The pressure-shoe D is formed of spring or other suitable metal, and hasa concave contact-face I) to bear on the roll, and at one end is slit toprovide a spring-paw1D adapted to cooperate with ratchet-teeth C on theroll 0 at one end thereof. This shoe is also provided with a tearingedge D to separate used portions from the strip and with a securinglug Dfor holding the shoe rigidly in contact with a wall of the cabinet.

The roll 0 maybe rotated in one direction by the crank C and is heldagainst reverse movement by the pawl D so that when the written messageis once drawn into the cabinet it cannot be withdrawn. A protectingcoverE is also pivoted to the tablet B as at E, and serves to cover theautographic strip B when not in use. If desired, a door F may beprovided at one side for access to the two compartments.

In operation the message is Written upon the strip over the tablet andthen drawn by the feed-roll in to the cabinet through the frictionalcontact of the shoe. The roll is held against reverse movement by theratchet and the written portion of the strip can be separated by tearingalong the edge D of the shoe after the cabinet has been opened. Thestructure of shoe provides in a single part the pressure-shoe, pawl, andtearing edge, while the protecting cover prevents injury to theunwritten portion upon the tablet. The pivoting of the cabinet to theback board permits the same to be swung open and convenient access hadto both compartments and all the parts.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the details of constructionand configuration without departing from the spirit of the invention asdefined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention and set forth its merits, what Iclaim is- 1. In a message-cabinet,a feed-roll,a springpressedfriction-shoe in engagement therewith, a paper strip between said rolland shoe, and a pawl carried by said shoe to engage a ratchet upon saidroll, substantially as specified.

2. In a message-cabinet, a feed-roll and means to revolve the same, apressure-shoe to engage said roll and formed of spring metal with aslitted portion to comprise a pawl, a ratchet on said roll, and a paperstrip between said roll and shoe, substantially as specified.

3. In a message-cabinet, a desk pivoted at one side to a back board andprovided with independent compartments therein, an autographic stripcarried by a stock-roll and passed over the upper surface of said desk,an elastic feed-roll for said strip, a pressure-shoe formed of springmaterial to engage said feed-roll and having a slitted portion toprovide a pawl, and ratchet-teeth on said roll adapted to be engaged bysaid pawl, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PARK A. BRADFORD.

\Vitnesses:

JAMES J. KERWIN, W. H. WILsoN.

